In Portugal, professional preparation for working with infants and toddlers is often characterized as insufficient and/or inadequate in light of the specific professionalism required for working with very young children. This study is situated in initial professional education (IPE) and, in particular, on practicum experiences within an early…

Even though previous research points to the significance of kindergarten teachers' practices which consider the nature of children and how they learn, there is still limited research regarding how learning activities impact children's development. To address this gap in literature, a qualitative multi-case study into teachers' perceptions of…

Synthesizing cutting-edge research from multiple disciplines, this book explores how young children acquire knowledge in the "real world" and describes practical applications for early childhood classrooms. The breadth and depth of a child's knowledge base are important predictors of later literacy development and academic achievement. Leading…

Prekindergarten is becoming part of elementary school in the growing number of districts that treat the pre-K-3 years as a distinct learning period. Implementation of instructional connections is a primary goal behind a movement to make pre-K classrooms part of the regular life of elementary schools. Proponents of such efforts argue that children…

Discusses using audiation and music aptitudes as teaching tools to allow students to reach their full music potential. Describes music audiation and aptitudes and focuses on the importance of early music experiences for developing music vocabularies and musical aptitude. (CMK)

Discusses issues present in early childhood music education, including the role of parent involvement, a balance between spontaneity and structure in the learning environment, the certification requirements for early childhood teachers, and educational research. Provides resources for early childhood music education. (CMK)